Hentoff: Public defenders often lack resources for capital cases

10:27 PM,
Feb. 13, 2014

Written by

Nat Hentoff

The state of Texas should be far from commended for its ample dedication to continuing the death penalty. But at least the care Texas courts take when listening to death penalty appeals is technically what used to be the American way:

"Texas, the nation's most active death penalty state, generally waits until all appeals are exhausted before carrying out executions"

But, as I reported last week, citing a New York Times editorial, certain states' disregard of death row inmates' final last-minute appeals is becoming more common. I wrote about Herbert Smulls, who was executed in Missouri on ...